This client wanted a full sleeve biomechanical tattoo, on which I would have had carte blanche. Not a bad project, or at least it seemed so, because he had a different style in mind from mine. He wanted me to draw inspiration from the style of other biomechanical tattoo artists.
Usually, one approaches an artist because they appreciate their unique style, not to imitate someone else’s, however admirable it may be. This can lead to disappointing results: either a poor imitation or something that neither reflects your style nor that of the artist you want to be inspired by.
In this case, I believe the result is closer to the second scenario. The biomechanical tattoo, while not fully reflecting my style, also doesn’t mirror that of the artists the client had mentioned as reference.
Ultimately, as often happens with less experienced clients for large-scale works, the client seemed a bit uncertain, and his goal wasn’t to influence me but rather to convey ideas he struggled to articulate verbally.
At the core of his request was the desire to have a sort of tribute to H.R. Giger, which was enough to give me the enthusiasm to accept this challenge.
The final result, despite deviating from my usual style for biomechanical tattoos, is still original and performs its role excellently. Giger’s influence is certainly more evident than that of the artists the client had mentioned, whose works I evaluated only to forget about them immediately afterward 😄
I allowed myself to get involved in the design process without using references, which, in the end, is the best thing an artist can do when creating something as unique and abstract as a biomechanical tattoo.
This biomechanical tattoo forced me to step out of my comfort zone, pushing me to experiment with approaches different from the usual and to create a definitely original piece, much appreciated by the client who wears it with pride. The same pride with which I will showcase it in my portfolio and in the book I am preparing, which will be available for purchase in 2025, coinciding with the anniversary of my 30-year career in the tattoo world.
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Below, you can see images and videos of the work process and the tattoo fully healed for over a month.
